Wilshire is a serious, farmers-market-driven restaurant cleverly disguised as the kind of Santa Monica hotspot where one might consort with supermodels. It practically seethes with fire in its sprawling patio dining room: roaring bonfires, a blue-glowing fire pit, and seeping waterfalls of flame. It’s like the Backdraft set crossed with the patio at Koi, which was also designed by Thomas Schoos, a former artist–turned–flamethrower to the stars. In the bar, the flat-screen television sets flash images of lava flows but never the Lakers game, and great cathedral banks of flickering votive candles thrust from the wall, impaled on the tips of long metal rods.With a focus on seasonal ingredients, chef Nyesha Arrington's offerings aren't cheap, but they are delicious. And for the frugally minded, there is a delightful happy hour.

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